Mark Scheme (Results)

January 2020

Pearson Edexcel International GCSE

in Physics (4PH1)
Paper 1P
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January 2020
Publications Code 4PH1_1P_msc_20200305
All the material in this publication is copyright
© Pearson Education Ltd 2020
 General Marking Guidance

• All candidates must receive the same treatment. Examiners must

mark the first candidate in exactly the same way as they mark the
last.
• Mark schemes should be applied positively. Candidates must be
rewarded for what they have shown they can do rather than
penalised for omissions.
• Examiners should mark according to the mark scheme not
according to their perception of where the grade boundaries may
lie.
• There is no ceiling on achievement. All marks on the mark scheme
should be used appropriately.
• All the marks on the mark scheme are designed to be awarded.
Examiners should always award full marks if deserved, i.e. if the
answer matches the mark scheme. Examiners should also be
prepared to award zero marks if the candidate’s response is not
worthy of credit according to the mark scheme.
• Where some judgement is required, mark schemes will provide the
principles by which marks will be awarded and exemplification may
be limited.
• When examiners are in doubt regarding the application of the mark
scheme to a candidate’s response, the team leader must be
consulted.
• Crossed out work should be marked UNLESS the candidate has
replaced it with an alternative response.
 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
1 north; this order only 5
steel;
hard;
north;
soft;

Total for Question 1 = 5 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
2 (a) (i) downward arrow labelled weight; ignore starting point of 2
arrow
allow ‘gravitational
force’, ‘force due to
gravity’
reject ‘gravity’
downward arrow is equal in length to upthrust judge by eye
arrow;

(ii) (a quantity with) magnitude; allow size, amount 2

ignore quantity,
measurement
and direction;

(iii) any correct vector; ignore force, any 1

named force e.g.
weight, upthrust etc
e.g. velocity, displacement, acceleration,
momentum etc.

(b) (i) pressure (difference) = height × density × g; allow standard symbols 1

and rearrangements
e.g. p = h × ρ × g
allow d for density
ignore “gravity” for g

(ii) substitution; allow g = 9.8, 9.81 3

evaluation of pressure difference in Pa OR kPa to at -1 for POT error unless
least 3s.f.; due to physics error
addition of surface pressure (100 kPa) to give reject this mark if
answer; inconsistent units used
allow final answer in Pa
or kPa

e.g.
p = 15.8 × 1030 × 10
p = 162740 Pa OR 162.74 kPa
p = 162.74 + 100 (= 260 kPa) allow 262 740 (Pa)

(iii) any two from: 2

MP1. idea that {weight of ship / downwards allow ship is heavier,
force} is greater; ship has more mass
MP2. larger pressure difference (when deeper in allow larger pressure
water); (on bottom of ship)
MP3. larger upthrust force (needed to keep
forces balanced);

Total for Question 2 = 11 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
3 (a) A (current); 1

B is incorrect because power is the rate of energy transferred

C is incorrect because resistance is the ratio of voltage and current
D is incorrect because voltage is the energy transferred per unit charge passed

(b) D (voltage); 1

A is incorrect because current is the rate of flow of charge

B is incorrect because power is the rate of energy transferred
C is incorrect because resistance is the ratio of voltage and current

(c) (i) correct voltmeter symbol used; 2

voltmeter drawn in parallel with S; condone drawn in parallel
with R or the battery

(ii) 0.20 (A); this order only 2

allow 0.2 (A)
0.60 (A); this order only
allow 0.6 (A)

(iii) voltage = current × resistance; formula should be seen or 3

implied by calculation
allow standard symbols and
rearrangements
ignore C, c for current
substitution;
evaluation;

e.g.
V=I×R
(V =) 0.40 × 11
(V =) 4.4 (V)

(iv) idea that voltage across battery is the same as allow numerical value given 2
voltage across R; e.g. ‘voltage of battery =
4.4V’
(because) battery and R are connected in
parallel / no other resistive components on
loop with battery and R;

(d) idea that resistance (of thermistor) changes; allow even if relationship is 3
the wrong way round
when temperature increases, resistance ORA
decreases;
(therefore) current increases when ORA
temperature increases;

Total for Question 3 = 14 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
4 (a) (i) weight = mass × gravitational field strength; allow rearrangements and 1
standard symbols e.g. W =
m×g
ignore ‘gravity’ for g

(ii) substitution or rearrangement; 2

evaluation;

e.g.
520 = mass × 10 OR mass = W / g allow g = 9.8, 9.81
(mass =) 52 (kg) allow 53.1, 53.0, 53

(b) (i) evidence of counting squares to find area; allow attempt to find 4
area by splitting into
rectangles / triangles
number of squares in range 37-42;
evaluation of area of one square; allow if 2 × 2 seen in
working
evaluation of total area; allow ecf from incorrect
number of squares

e.g.
dots seen in each square in diagram
number of squares = 39
area of one square = (2 × 2) = 4 cm2
total area = (4 × 39) = 156 cm2 allow 148-168

(ii) pressure = force / area; allow standard symbols 1

and rearrangements e.g.
p=F/A

(iii) dimensionally correct substitution; allow ecf from (b)(i) 3

evidence of doubling area or halving pressure to
account for both feet;
evaluation with matching unit; allow N/cm2, N/m2 or Pa
if no marks awarded for
calculation allow 1 mark
if valid unit for pressure
given
e.g.
(pressure =) 520 / 156
area = 156 × 2 OR pressure = 3.2 ÷ 2
(pressure =) 1.7 N/cm2 allow 1.5-1.8 N/cm2
allow 15 000-18 000 N/m2

Total for Question 4 = 11 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
5 (a) (i) B, D, F; all required for the mark 1
reject if additional
sections listed

(ii) use of speed = distance / time; seen anywhere 4

allow symbols
allow attempt to find
gradient of line
correctly read time or distance from graph;
conversion from minutes to seconds or km to m;
correct evaluation;

e.g.
v=s/t allow s = d / t
distance = 2.6 km or time = 2 minutes
distance = 2600 m or time = 120 s
(v =) 22 (m/s) allow 21.7, 21.6… (m/s)
0.0216…, 1300 = 3 marks
1.3 = 2 marks

(iii) idea that speed of bus is greater in section A; 2

(because) line is steeper / gradient is larger / eq;

(b) single horizontal line drawn; judge by eye 2

line must extend the
entire length of the time
axis
horizontal line drawn at 0.5 km/minute for some
period of time in journey;

Total for Question 5 = 9 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
6 any six from: 6
MP1. cup slows down/stops energy transfer to allow idea that energy
surroundings; is trapped
ignore ‘heat is trapped’

relating to conduction:
MP2. vacuum contains no particles;

MP3. reducing/stopping conduction (through the

sides);

MP4. plastic (lid) is a poor conductor / good

insulator;

relating to convection:
MP5. air is trapped by the lid;

MP6. reducing/stopping convection (from the allow reducing/stopping

surface); evaporation

relating to radiation:
MP7. (inner) shiny surface is poor absorber of allow idea that inner
infrared / radiation; surface reflects heat

MP8. (outer) shiny surface is poor emitter of

infrared / radiation;

MP9. energy transfer by radiation

reduced/stopped;

Total for Question 6 = 6 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
7 (a) 24 (kPa); 1

(b) any three from: 3

MP1. reading increases / pressure increases;
MP2. reading doubles / pressure doubles/ reading scores first 2 marks
is 48 kPa;
MP3. (because) air particles collide with walls
more often;
MP4. (because) pressure × volume is constant; allow quoted formula
allow (because)
pressure is inversely
proportional to volume

(c) (i) {speed / velocity / KE} of particles decreases; allow less frequent 1
collisions
ignore ‘motion /
movement decreases’

(ii) pressure decreases; 3

particles collide with walls less often;
particles collide with less force; allow particles colliding
less hard

Total for Question 7 = 8 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
8 (a) (i) acceleration = change in velocity / time; allow rearrangements 1
and standard symbols
e.g. a = v-u / t,
a = ∆v/t, a = ∆v/∆t

(ii) substitution; 3
rearrangement;
evaluation;

e.g.
1.2 = (35 – 26) / t
t = 9 / 1.2
(t =) 7.5 (s)

(b) any four from: 4

MP1. frequency increases;

MP2. due to Doppler effect;

MP3. idea that car behaves as the source of the

(reflected) waves;

MP4. (reflected) wavefronts closer together; allow “waves become

bunched up”

MP5. (reflected) wavelength decreased;

MP6. speed (of waves) stays constant; allow quotation of

v=f×λ

Total for Question 8 = 8 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
9 (a) Geiger-Muller tube / GM tube; allow Geiger counter, Geiger 1
meter, GM detector

(b) (absorbing) material; allow absorber 1

(c) any two from: 2

MP1. idea that thickness also affects the
count/results;
MP2. idea that thickness is a control
variable;
MP3. idea of making experiment valid; allow fair test for valid

(d) measure count over longer time / take more allow quoted time longer 1
repeats / measure background count; than 3 seconds

(e) (i) suitable linear scale chosen (>50% of grid ignore orientation 3
used); do not accept multiples of 30
for scale
axes labelled with quantities and unit;
all bar plotting correct to nearest half square;

(ii) B (absorbing material is not a continuous variable); 1

A is incorrect because absorbing material is not a continuous variable

C is incorrect because line graphs are drawn for continuous variables
D is incorrect because count rate is a continuous variable

(iii) ignore student is right/wrong 2

idea that the lower the count, the better the allow RA
absorber;
lead is the best absorber; allow that plastic is the
worst absorber

Total for Question 9 = 11 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
10 (a) (i) light {refracts, bends, changes direction, 2
changes speed, changes wavelength} = 1 mark;
light {refracts/bends towards normal, slows down,
wavelength decreases} = 2 marks;;

(ii) normal; 1

(iii) sin(c) = 1/n; allow in words and 1

rearrangements

(iv) substitution; 3
rearrangement;
evaluation;

e.g.
sin(c) = 1/1.6
(c =) sin-1(0.625)
(c =) 39 (°) allow 38.68…

(v) TIR at the glass/air boundary; allow ecf from (iv) that 2
would suggest
refraction e.g. if
answer to (iv) is greater
than 50°
angle of incidence = angle of reflection; judge by eye

(b) light ray is refracted out into the air; ray does not need to 2
show deviation
reject if ray emerges to
the left of the normal
refracting away from the normal;

Total for Question 10 = 11 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
11 (a) activity shown to decrease over time; 3
descending curve getting shallower starting at
(0,160);
line passes through two other valid points;
• (6,80)
• (12,40)
• (18,20)
• (24,10)

(b) (i) idea that it decays very quickly / activity will ignore ‘it has a short half- 1
be zero by the time it is injected / there will life’
be no technetium-99m left;

(ii) any one from: 2

• idea that gamma can penetrate out of the
body;
• idea that gamma can be detected outside
the body;
marks must be from separate
lists
any one from:
• idea that half-life is long enough to
complete the procedure;
• idea that activity will fall to safe level in a allow idea that technetium
day / quickly; will not be in body for very
long

(c) harmful effect of gamma radiation given; e.g. 3

• cancer
• cell damage
• cell mutation
idea that patient will have procedure very allow suggestion that risk to
rarely / only when necessary (so risk is low); patients is higher as they
receive greater dose
idea that doctor will administer procedure allow idea that doctor
regularly (so risk is higher) / doctor limits increases distance from
time exposure to patient (to reduce risk); patient (to reduce risk)

Total for Question 11 = 9 marks

 Question
Answer Notes Marks
number
12 (a) comet drawn in orbit around the Sun; 2
orbital path is elliptical; judge by eye
allow partially drawn ellipse
Sun need not be at a focus of
the ellipse, but should not be at
the centre of the ellipse

(b) attempted use of orbital speed formula; 5

valid substitution into orbital speed formula; allow for either planet
correct evaluation of time period for either
planet;
attempt to divide T for Saturn by T for Mars;
correct final evaluation of ratio;

e.g.
v=2×π×r/T seen anywhere in working
24.1 = 2 × π × 2.28 × 108 / T 9.70 = 2 × π × 1.43 × 109 / T
TMars = 5.94 × 107 (s) OR TSaturn = 9.26 × 108 (s) 5.944… 9.2628…
n = TSaturn / TMars
15.6 allow range of 15-16

Total for Question 12 = 7 marks

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